Hydrocracking process and catalyst



United States Patent US. Cl. 208-111 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Increased hydroisomerization and hydrocracking activity of sulfided nickel-tungsten-boria-alumina or nickelmolybdenum-silica-alumina is achieved by the addition of neodymium to the system.

This invention relates to the catalytic conversion of" hydrocarbons and more particularly to the catalytic hydrocracking of high boiling hydrocarbons to those" of lower boiling range in the presence of new and improved catalysts.

Hydrocracking processes are commonly employed on heavy residual or distillate oils for the production of substantial yields of low boiling saturated products, such as gasoline, intermediate distillates which may be utilized as domestic fuels and, to some extent, heavier cuts suitable for use as lubricants. In these hydrocracking processes, cracking and hydrogenation reactions take place simultaneously. Hydrocracking, as distinguished from simple hydrogenation wherein only the addition of hydrogen to unsaturated bonds takes place, is cracking under hydrogenating conditions so that products of the cracking reaction are substantially more saturated than when hydrogen or materials supplying hydrogen are not present. While many catalyst systems are known for use in hydrocracking processes, there is still room for improvement as to the degree of activity, effective life, efliciency, per-pass conversion rate, conversion temperature, stability to regeneration, and the like.

In the hydrocracking of materials such as the normal aliphatic hydrocarbons with sulfided nickel-tungsten or nickel-molybdenum, it is desirable to maximize the yield of highly branched product. This product, under the conditions used in hydrocracking, will be mostly saturated. The hydrocracking process thus simultaneously effects hydroisomerization to branched structures. As in hydrocracking, there is still room for improvement in hydroisomerizing activity of the catalysts of commerce.

While catalytic hydrocracking and hydroisomerization are well known in the art, these processes are generally carried out at high temperature conditions. The present invention provides a novel system whereby results previously obtained only at higher temperatures are achieved at lower temperature conditions, thus indicating higher activity.

In addition to providing a more active system whereby lower operating temperatures are employed, there is further achieved through the use of this invention higher branched-chain hydrocarbon to straight-chain hydrocarbon ratios in the hydrocracked product, thus indicating increased hydroisomerization activity.

Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved process for the hydrocracking of high boiling hydrocarbons whereby there is obtained increased hydroisomerization and hydrocracking activity.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel catalyst system for the catalytic conversion of hydrocarbons.

Other aspects, objects, and the several advantages of this invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon consideration of the accompanying disclosure.

In accordance with the present invention, I have discovered that by the addition of neodymium to either sulfided nickel-tungsten-boria-alumina or nickel-molybdenum-silica-alumina there is obtained a novel catalyst system which, when employed for hydrocracking and hydroisomerization results in not only a more active system as reflected by the lower temperature required for the operation but, in addition, provides higher branched-chain hydrocarbon to straight-chain hydrocarbon ratios in the hydrocracked product.

Sulfided nickel-tungsten or nickel-molybdenum catalyst on acidic supports for hydroisomerization and hydrocracking are well known in the industry.

The neodymium containing systems are prepared by admixing solutions of the active components and impregnating the support therewith. The active ingredients can be added together or in any desired sequence. The nickel, tungsten and molybdenum contents of the finished catalysts are in the range of 1 to 15 weight percent, and the neodymium content is in the range of 1 to 10 weight percent. In one mode of preparation, the boria-alumina or silica-alumina support is impregnated with aqueous solutions of the nitrates (molybdate in the case of molybdenurn) of the active ingredients to give a finished catalyst containing the promoter elements. The catalyst is then dried, presulfided and thereafter employed in the hydrocracking process.

The term hydrocracking as used herein is cracking under hydrogenating conditions over a suitable catalyst.

The term hydroisomerization as used herein "is broadly covered by the term hydrocracking and is the conversion in the presence of hydrogen of nnbranched or lightly branched hydrocarbons into branched or more highly branched hydrocarbons having either the same number or fewer carbon atoms.

The hydrocracking conditions employed herein involve passing the vaporized hydrocarbons over the finished catalyst at temperatures ranging between about 450 and 950 F., preferably between 475 and 850 F., pressures above about p.s.i.g., preferably between about 500 and 5000 p.s.i.g., and liquid hourly space velocities (LHSV) ranging between about 0.1 and 10.0. The preferred hydrogen ratios may range between about 1000 and 20,000 s.c.f. (32 'F., 15 p.s.i.a.) per barrel of feed.

The following specific examples are intended to illustrate the invention an dare not to be interpreted asunduly limiting the same.

EXAMPLE I Several catalysts were tested for hydrocracking-hydroisomerizing activity with n-hexadecane feed containing 0.5

weight percent sulfur as carbon disulfide under the following conditions:

Feed, LHSV 0.5.

Pressure, p.s.i.g. 2000.

H /Hyc, s.c.f./bbl.' 16,000.

Temperature, F. That required to obtain 15 weight percent C -C hydrocarbons i the total product. Catalyst preparation Four supports were used:

3 The supports were impregnated with aqueous solutions of the nitrates (molybdate in the case of molybdenum) of the active ingredients to give finished catalysts containing the indicated amounts of the promoter elements cal- The results as shown indicate addition of neodymium to the system resulting in the production of a catalyst active for the hydrocracking of a commercial hydrocracking feedstock.

- at Certain modifications of the invention will become apculaoted as tile metal' The catalysts were dn-ed m 5 parent to those skilled in the art and the illustrative de- 300 F. until there was no visible condensation of water tails disclosed are not to be construed as imposing un- 1n the exit line and then for two additional hours, heated necessary limitations on the invention to 1000 F. over a 4-hour period, and held at 1000 F. I claim:

for 3 hours. The catalysts were presulfided w1th 3 volume 10 L A catalyst composition Selected from the group com Percent carbon disulfide 1n nhexane 8 the followmg sisting of (a) sulfided neodymium-nickel-tungsten-boriascheme: 1) Heating the catalyst to 600 F. in a stream l i a d (b) ulfided neodymium-nickeLmolybof nitrogen, (2) pressuring to 200 p.s.i.g. with hydrogen, denum-silica-alumina wherein said neodymium is present (3) continuing hydrogen flow for 2 hours, (4) feeding In an af'nolmt In 9 range about 1 f0 10 Wfilght PF the mixture for 4 hours at 2 LHSV, and 5 15 cent, s-a1d compos1t1on (a) bemg formed by the sulfidmg Starting the n,hexadtzcane feed, which contained 0.5 of a previously calcined mlxture of salts of neodymium,

nickel and tungsten deposited on a horia-alumina sup- .weight percent sulfur at CS followin results were obtained port, and said compositton (b) bemg formed by the sule g fiding of a previously calcined mixture of salts of neo- Promoter, wt. percent /1105 of catalyst, as metal Support Temp., F. ratio Run No.:

1 2.9 Ni11.7 w 4.9 mot-95.1 Eta-A120 700 1. 2

2 5.6 Nd 7.1 BIOS-92.9 Eta Alzoa 765 0.8

3.-. 2.4 Ni10.5 W2.6 Nd 4.9 B203-95.1 Eta-A140 570 5.0

s .6 Ni6.9 w-2.2 Ce- 7.1 BIOS-92.9 Eta-A120 695 1. 9

6 .1 NH) 2 w-as Pr 7.1 Bios-92.9 Eta-A1 0 720 1. a

7 .6 Ni-ll s w-1.0 S111 4.9 Bios-95.1 Eta-A1 0 755 0, 5

s-.. .3 Ni10.1 W3.5 La 4.9 B203-95J. Eta-A1103 755 9 .9 N1-7.1 M0 6.8 B203-93.2 Eta-A140 698 1. s

10.- .9 N1-7.1 Mo-4 6 Nd 6.8 15203-932 Eta-A110 782 0. 4

11-- .1 Ni11.9 w as sioi-12 A1209 570 3. 2

12.- .1 Nl11.9 w-4 4 Nd as SiOr-12 A1103 608 3. 8

1a.. .5 Ni7.7 Mo 88 8102-12 A1204 645 a. 2

14 2.8 Nl3.5 M0-4.5 Nd 98 8101-1221120! 477 4. 5

In these tests, the higher the temperature required for dymium, nickel and molybdenum deposited on a silicaa 15 weight percent yield of C -C hydrocarbons, the alumina support. lower the hydrocracking activity, and the lower the 2. A catalyst according to claim 1 consisting essentially isoC /nc, ratio, the lower the hydroisomerizing activity. of sulfided neodymium-n1ckel-tungsten-boria-alumina.

The above results indicate the following: 3. A catalyst according to claim 1 consisting essentially (1) Neodynmium oxide is not an active catalytic of sulfided neodymium nickel molybdenum silicamaterial (run 2). alumina.

(2) Addition of neolymium oxide to nickel-tungsten- 4. In a process for hydrocracking a hydrocarbon feed boria-alumina results in both an increase in cracking in a hydrocracking zone under hydrocracking conditions, activity and an increase in isomerizing activity (runs 3 the improvement which comprises utilizing as a hydroand 4 versus run 1). cracking catalyst a catalyst selected from the group con- (3) Addition of other rare earth oxides to nickel-tungsisting of (a) sulfided neodymium-nickel-tungsten-boria sten-boria-alumina does not result in an increase in either alumina and (b) sulfided neodymium-nickel-molybdenumcracking activity or isomerizing activity (runs 5-8 versus silica-alumina wherein said neodymium is present in an run 1). amount in the range of about 1 to 10 Weight percent, said (4) Addition of neodymium oxide to nickel-molybcomposition (a) being formed b the sulfiding of a predenum-boria-alumina does not result in an increase in 5 viously calcined mixture of salts of neodymium, nickel either cracking activity or isomerizing activity (run 10 and tungsten deposited on a boria-alumina support, and versus run 9). said composition (b) being formed by the sulfiding of a (5) Addition of neodymium oxide to nickel-tungstenpreviously calcined mixture of salts of neodymium, nickel silica-alumina does not result in an increase in cracking and molybdenum deposited on a silica-alumina support. activity and results in only a very small increase in isom- 5. A process according to claim 4 wherein the catalyst erizing activity (run 12 versus run 11). is sulfided neodymium-nickel-tungsten-boria-alumina.

(6) Addition of neodymium oxide to nickel-molyb- 6. A process according to claim 4 wherein the catalyst denum-silica-alumina results in both an increase in crackis sulfided neodymium-nickelmolybdenum-silica-alumina. ing activity and an increase in isomerizing activity (run 14 versus run 13). 0 References Cited EXAMPLE 11 UNITED STATES PATENTS A catalyst was prepared in the manner of Example I 2,337,191 12/1943 Greensfelder 260-668 by adding neodymium nitrate, ammonium molybdate, 3,291,751 12/1966 Buss 252-439 and nickel nitrate to commercial silica-alumina support 3,238,147 3/ 1966 Cramer 252-453 No. 4. The calcined catalyst contained 2.3 weight precent 3,280,040 10/1966 Jaffe 252-439 Ni, 4.8 percent Mo, and 3.8 percent Nd. This sulfided 3,269,958 8/1966 Gatsis 252-439 catalyst gave the following results in hydrocracking hy- 3,173,854 3/1965 E t d 203 111 drotreated heavy cycle oil containing 1 p.p.m. nitrogen:

Temp 0 F. 630 PATRICK P. GARVIN, Primary Examiner Press., .s.i 1500 LHSVP g LO US. 01. X.R.

H /oil s.c.f./'bhl. 5400 208-112; 252-432, 439

Conv. to gasoline and lighter, wt. percent 48.5

Gasoline yield, wt. percent 45.0 

